Device for th-rowing missives from moving trains



M.' M. GREENWADE. DEVICE FOR THROWING MISSIVES lFROM MOVING TRAINS.

Patented Peb. 16, 1892 (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-MOSES MILLER GREENIVADE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR THROW|NG MIS'SIVES FROM MOVING TRAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,801, dated February 16, 1892.

Application filed April 2, 1891. Serial No. 887,430. (No model.)

-Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a device for throwing messages or mail-matter from moving trains while passing a station along the route.

It is frequently necessary for road-masters and other officials of a railroad, as well as express-men and mail agents, to deliver messages or letters to persons along the route while the train is in motion, and when this is done according to the mode in common vogue it frequently happens that the message or letter is drawn underneath the train' by the current of air due to its rapid motion. In many instances the messages are run over by the train and ruined, or carried some distance by the air-current and thus lost, and as the train is usually traveling at a high speed the person who delivered the message cannot ascerv tain Whether the message has been received or not, thus causing a great deal of inconvenience, and in many cases, through imperfectlydelivered orders, imperiling the lives of passengers and train-men.

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple device, which can be carried around in the pocketl by the train-men and others, which is adapted to clasp the letter or message iirmly, and to enable the device and its attached message to be thrown from the train with a considerable degree of certainty and precision to the station.

With these ends in view my invention consists of a weighted base constructed, preferably, of a shell stamped out of a piece of sheet metal and having the flat top and depending circularring. This shell is filled with lead or other substance, and the bottom edge of the ring may be turned inwardly to hold the filler in place, or other desirable means Inay be employed. Two upright lugs or ears stamped or formed ont of the top of the'shell, form bearings for the clamp, and in front of these bear.- ings is struck up a lip, which has itsv upper vedge toothed. In these bearings is pivoted a clasp, which has its forward-depending end toothed and engaging with the teeth on the upwardly-extending lip on the top 0f the cap, and between these lips the letter or message is to be inserted. On the axle orshaft of this clasp is secured a coiled spring, which has its two ends bearing against the top of the cap and the clasp, respectively, and the spring serves to hold the clasp in engagement with the missive when it is placed between the two lips of the throwing device.

To enable others to more readily understand my invention, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a perspective view of my improved device. Fig. II is a plan view of the cap before the bearings and lips have been turned up. Fig. III is a plan View of the parts in all the figures, A designates the -weighted base of my device for throwing missives from a moving train. The base comprises a iiller and ahollow shell, and the shell is preferably stamped out of one piece of sheet metal into the desired shape and provided with the necessary incisions in its surface. This shell has the iiat circular top a and the depending flange or side B, extending entirelyA around its outer edge, and the shell thus formed is weighted with a filler of lead or other heavy substance C to increase the specific gravity of the Vdevice and enable it to be thrown to good advantage to the stationalong the route, or at any desired place, the device being of such weight as to overcome in its iiight the current of air caused by the movement of the train. This iiller may be held in its place by pins or otherwise; but I prefer to bend the lower edge b of the depending side B inward, and thus clasp the filler and hold it in place.

In the top of the shell A and on opposite sides of the center thereof are two bearings IOO D, which are formed by bending lips struck up from the top of the shell, and these bearings are provided with the openings d to receive the ends of the axle or shaft carrying the clasp. In front of these bearings is a lip E, which is also struck up from the top of the shell and turned to a vertical position, and its upper edge is provided with a series ot' serrations or teeth e to engage corresponding teeth on the depending lip of the clasp.

The clasp F is formed out of one piece of sheet metal, andit is provided with a depending toothed lip f on its front end, which teeth are adapted to engage the teeth on the upwardly-projecting lip E of the shell. The rear end of the clasp serves as a handle or presser-plate, and between t-he presser-plate and the depending lips the clasp has two lugs G, provided with openings g, which lugs are arranged to iit within the bearings struck up from the cap.

The shaft or axle H, on which the clasp is pivoted, is arranged beneath the center of the clasp, and its ends project through the openings gand are journaled in the bearings D. This is a very convenient and simple manner of seeming the clasp on the axle, and as the depending lugs operate withinthe bear-- ings D they serve to guide the clasp and secure it firmly in its proper position.

On the axle l[ is a coiled spring I, which has its ends z' t free to bear against the bottom of the clasp and the top of the shell, respectively, thus exerting the pressure of the spring in opposite directions and holding the lip of the clasp normally in engagement with the lip of the base. 4

The device is so small and simple that quite a number can be carried around in the pocket without. inconvenience, and when it is desired to use the same a message or letter is simply inserted between the lips of the clasp and the base and the letter and device are thrown by hand from the train. The spring presses the clasp tightly on the message and the weight of the cap and filler insures the correct throwing of the device to the desired point. l

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and details ot` construction can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as ffall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y l. The herein-described device for-throwing messages from a moving train, which consists of a shell, a iiller therein, and a clamp mounted onthe shell and adapted to confine a missive between itself and the shell, sub-v stantially as described.

2. A device for throwing missives from moving trains, which consists of a weighted base and a clasp pivotally secured in bearings on the base and adapted to confine a missive between itselt and the base, substantially as described.

3. A device for throwing missives from moving'trains, which consists of a weighted base having the bearings and toothed lip and the clasp pivoted in the bearings and having a lip adapted to engage with the lip on the base, substantially as described.

4;. A device for throwing missives from moving trains, consisting of a weighted base having the bearings and the lips struck up from its shell, the clasp pivoted in said bearings and having a depending lip adapted to engage with the lip on the base, and the coiled spring acting on the clasp to hold the lip thereof normally in close engagement with the base-lip, substantially as described.

5. In adevice for throwing missives from moving trains, a weighted base consisting ot a shell formed of one piece of metal and a iiller secured in said cap, combined withV a clasp on the base, substantially as described.

6. In a device for'throwing Inissives from moving trains, a weighted base havinga shell formed of one piece of metal, the bearings,

IOO

projecting lip on the depending flange and a clasp, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MOSES MILLER GREENWTADE.

Witnesses:

VINCENT SCHWAB, WM. A. BURRoUGHs. 

